Niort et les Deux-Sèvres dans la guerre Franco-Prussienne de 1870-1871

On July 19, 1870, Napoleon III declared war on King William I of Prussia. The 1st Hussars regiment of the Niort cavalry barracks joined the 300 000 soldiers of the French professional army. In response to the French government's appeal to all the departments, the Deux-Sèvres formed the 34th regiment of the Garde nationale mobile. It was made up of men who supplemented the army to defend the strongholds. The town of Niort provided equipment and took in sick and wounded soldiers. The French army was quickly overwhelmed by 500,000 Prussians and Germans who were better equipped and commanded. Napoleon III capitulates on September 2nd in Sedan. France signs the armistice on the 28th January 1871 and the treaty of Frankfurt on the 10th May 1871. It cedes Alsace and part of Lorraine (Moselle) to the then unified Germany and an indemnity of 5 billion gold francs.